News Releases - 2003

IEPA Approves Loan For Public Water System Upgrades In Lockport

Improvements Needed Due To Radium In Existing Water Supply

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano announced that a low interest loan in the amount of $5,346,113 has been approved for the city of Lockport.

The loan, issued under the Illinois EPA's revolving loan program, will allow the community to abandon a well, install a new storage tank, a 16-inch arterial main, as well as install necessary treatment equipment to remove naturally occurring radionuclides from the village's drinking water supply.

Community water supplies with naturally occurring levels of radium that exceed federal standards published in December 2000 have a deadline of December 8, 2003, to come into compliance with the federal standards. Long- term consumption of drinking water with excessive radium levels has been linked to health problems.

The Lockport project, some of which the city will finance with its own funds, will include abandoning two existing wells and constructing two new wells, constructing a new 1 million gallon elevated storage tank and adding a 16-inch arterial main, along with other feed systems, controls, and piping needed to bring the water system into compliance with state and federal regulations.

"It is particularly satisfying to be able to offer critical financial assistance to a community, like Lockport, where natural environmental causes have produced a situation that could threaten human health," said IEPA Director Renee Cipriano.

The loan is being made from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water revolving loan program that utilizes federal and state funding to provide loans for eligible drinking water treatment projects at half the market interest rate. Interest paid on the 20-year loans is returned to the fund to support other low interest loans.

The City estimates construction will begin September 1, 2003, and be completed by September 1, 2004.